As sure as the swallows to Capistrano, Spring arrives here in southern Wisconsin the first Sunday in May. That is the traditional date of the Slimy Crud motorcycle run, now in its 23rd year.

All roads lead to Pine Bluff at the western terminus of Mineral Point Road (County Hwy S) at the intersection with County Hwy P in western Dane County. It is home to two taverns and one Catholic church and a scattering of homes. Guessing something like 2,000 bikers made the scene early Sunday morning (5-7-2017), dressed to brave temps in the upper 40s.

Moto Guzzis on display at Pine Bluff

The purpose is to see motorcycles and motorcyclists. The emphasis is on old, ratted out, classic, and unusual bikes. Japanese crotch rockets are as welcome as Harley Davidson baggers.

Spotted a two-cycle, Spanish-built Bultaco along with an assortment of Russian-built Urals (side cars standard), a British Norton, a squadron of German BMWs before they got fairings, a 1970s Italian Ducati, and pre-Polaris American Indians. (A red 1936 Indian is pictured below.) Oh, and some American Cushmans, the boxy little service vehicles from the 1950-60s.

Proud Hog member rides Italian

While I am a proud member of the local Four Lakes HOG Club (great ride Saturday to Prairie du Chien), I joined up with Jeremy at Dunn’s Import in Middleton and some of his pals at 9 Sunday morning to ride Moto Guzzis. I can report our rides got plenty of eyeballs, especially his tenni green Griso Guzzi. Something out of the ordinary. Two-wheeled eye candy.

No official judging, no awards, no speeches. Just bikes and bikers of every description. Graybeards on Honda Goldwings and high-revving 20-year-olds. Round about noon, as the spirit moves them, cyclists take off for Leland, an unincorporated burg 35 miles away in central Sauk County, also with two taverns (right across from each other) but no church. By the afternoon, the weather had warmed to the low 60s and beer flowed a little more freely. Bikes stretched out along side roads and filled designated farm fields. Might have been 3,000 in Leland.

County Hwy C, little Leland’s main street, was jammed with pedestrians and bikes. Out of nowhere came a small parade of old farm tractors. Why not. A highlight was a man on a trike. He parked, then used the winch attached to the back of his ride to maneuver his wheelchair. Now that, my friends, is the spirit of America.

Leland was heavily policed — something not evident at Pine Bluff. But there was absolutely no trouble. This ain’t The Wild One.

Three years ago, for an article I wrote for Thunder Roads magazine, I interviewed Jason Daniels, a master wrencher who operates just south of Madison. He related:

“The whole thing started in the late 70’s. The original members ran into each other riding around Madison. There is about 15 core “original” members left. This was the ‘members riding together stage.’ It was started as a group ride to Junior’s bar to bring patrons in during hard times.”

That would be Junior Sprecher’s bar in Leland, the one with the no longer-brewed Old Style beer sign out front. [Junior died two years ago; the bar is for sale.] Then, in 1994, the riders published a tiny want ad in the Wisconsin State Journal advertising their ride.

“It was real cryptic,” Daniels remembers. “The first one was about 50 guys. It just blossomed from there.”

Asking for a friend

Mike Huckabee asks: What would a federal judge do if Jim Acosta challenged him in his courtroom, argued and refused to give up the microphone when a bailiff tried to retrieve it?

Unmet needs?

‘Got anything for us?’

MidTown 8:25 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 — Officers met with a victim (26-year-old AAM) who reported being approached by two AAMs, one AAF and one WF (possibly all juveniles) as he was waiting for a bus. The victim stated the “juveniles” asked him if he had anything for them. The victim said he referred to them as “kids” which caused the two AAM’s to batter him. The suspects fled. The victim sustained visible injuries, including a chipped tooth.

Someone (could) DID get hurt like this!

11:35 p.m. Nov. 17 — A Fitchburg police officer spotted a Subaru Forrester that was listed as stolen through MPD. The vehicle took off when a stop was initiated. The vehicle ended up crashing into an unoccupied house near Allied Dr, located within the City of Madison. The house sustained heavy damage and the vehicle was totaled. All three occupants were transported to the hospital.

The suspect driver was a 16-year-old AAM, whose injuries were unknown at the time of this entry. A 14-year-old AAF passenger sustained a broken arm. A 14-year-old AAM passenger had a fractured/dislocated hip and will be admitted for surgery. Fitchburg PD took the vehicle for evidence in their investigation and MPD took the crash investigation.

Even MORE school-to-prison at La Follette H.S.

Friday’s Disturbance — 3:44 pm. Nov. 16 — The La Follette High School Educational Resource Officer was outside monitoring students when a suspect (30-year-old AAF) began yelling threats from the street at school staff. The suspect’s daughter (14-year-old AAF) threw a water bottle at a group of students in front of the school and then fled with her mother in a vehicle. Officers performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and while officers attempted to detain the suspects, an additional passenger/suspect (16-year-old AAF) was arrested for interfering. The 30-year-old suspect was conveyed to the Dane County Jail while the teenagers were cited for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Tuesday’s disturbance — 9:55 a.m. Nov. 13 — School Resource Officer (SRO) at La Follette High School asked for additional resources as a disturbance was breaking out in the commons area of the school.